All Columnists articles – Page 8
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Analysis
Merril Boulton: editor
It promises to be a significantly more memorable festive season than usual what with the election, the political noise and ’who knows what’ will follow. UKPIA director general Stephen Marcos (see news page 3 and Forecourt Trader website) has called this election "one of the most important for generations", and ...
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Analysis
Chris Judge: analysis editor, Argus Media
International oil markets edged higher in November as winter heating demand kicked in. But crude oil still looked well supplied ahead of an Opec meeting on December 5 in Vienna, when the cartel will consider production levels in concert with key producers such as Russia. Brent crude futures ended November ...
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Analysis
Alexander Russell: consultant, Car Wash Association (CWA)
Dame Sara Thornton, the recently appointed Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, has published her first Strategic Plan 2019-2021. The plan focuses on improving victim care and support, supporting law enforcement and prosecution, concentrating on prevention and getting value from research and innovation. Here are its main points with particular reference to car ...
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Analysis
Stephen Marcos Jones: director general, UKPIA
New labels were added to your fuel pumps recently, as new rules require each pump to have either an E5 label for petrol or B7 label for diesel. These shorthand labels tell motorists that their petrol has up to 5% ethanol, and diesel up to 7% biodiesel content by volume, ...
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Analysis
Tracy West: retail commentator
Did any of you catch the story about the reporter from Hull who ate forecourt food for five days? Not only did it appear in the Hull local papers but it was picked up by the national dailies with headlines about how expensive and unhealthy the food was. The reporter ...
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Analysis
Merril Boulton: editor
So it’s ’Bonjour’ all round as the Total brand returns to the UK, following its deal with Harvest Energy (see News page 4 and Forecourt Trader website). It’s a great move for Harvest Energy in terms of having a recognisable major oil brand to roll out as it further develops ...
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Analysis
Ray Blake: PRA technical director
A question I and many other people in the industry are being asked more and more frequently is whether to install electric vehicle (EV) charging points. But I am not qualified to answer whether EV charging is a financially viable option to install on petrol forecourts, and from what I ...
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Analysis
Chris Judge: analysis editor, Argus Media
Oil prices have stabilised around the $60/bl mark after shrugging off the effects of the drone and cruise missile attacks on Saudi oil facilities on September 14. Brent crude futures ended October at $60.23/bl, registering a negligible drop of $0.50/bl on the month, after briefly topping $62/bl. UK pump prices ...
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Analysis
Tracy West: retail commentator
I don’t like the concept of ’schadenfreude’ ie deriving pleasure from someone else’s misfortune, but I must admit that when I heard Sainsbury’s first till-free store trial had not worked, I did smile. At the end of April, to much fanfare, the supermarket giant said its Holborn Circus Local shop ...
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Analysis
Merril Boulton: editor
No apologies for devoting half of this issue to the Forecourt Trader Awards! I think the nation’s hard-working forecourt retailers deserve a bit of recognition once in a while don’t you? Because the awards ceremony itself is not just a chance for a great night out - and being ...
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Analysis
Kevin Eastwood: executive director, BOSS
During the past 12 months forecourt retailers have been taking on more responsibility to help tackle forecourt crime and, in particular, drive-offs. Greater involvement is necessary because police forces need our help. There has been a steady rise in the number of incidents of forecourt crime, as evidenced by the ...
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Analysis
Chris Judge: analysis editor, Argus Media
The drone and cruise missile attacks on Saudi oil facilities on September 14 drove oil prices sharply higher, but the rapid restoration of Saudi exports helped limit the gains. The higher international prices are yet to filter through to the UK forecourt, but prices look destined to rise, particularly for ...
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Analysis
James Lowman: chief executive, ACS
We recently launched our 2019 Forecourt Report, which looks at the latest developments in the sector and how fuel retailers have been responding to these changes. One ongoing development that has been a hot topic among customers and businesses has been electric vehicles. This year’s report has shown that while ...
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Analysis
Tracy West: retail commentator
We all like trying something new and in the past few weeks I’ve tried quite a few new products. I started with two new Kit Kats: Green Tea Matcha (inspired by Japan) and Kit Kat made with Ruby Cocoa Beans. Sorry, but I have to say I won’t be buying ...
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Analysis
Brian Madderson: chairman, PRA
After nine years of fuel duty freezes, this regressive tax is still netting the Exchequer some £28bn every year. Once double taxation is factored in, with added VAT at 20% yielding an estimated further £7bn, the overall total of £35bn comfortably places fuel as the fifth largest tax receipt for ...
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Analysis
Merril Boulton: editor
The silence has been deafening! Has nobody noticed the fuel prices on Applegreen’s Welcome Break estate? I guess the national press are rather busy with all the current shenanigans at Westminster Towers they usually enjoy making big headlines around fuel pricing. Under the Fuelgood branding from its Irish operation Applegreen ...
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Analysis
Chris Judge: analysis editor, Argus Media
The fragility of the global economy in the light of the trade war between the US and China continues to weigh on oil markets, keeping benchmark Brent crude oil futures bobbing around the $60/bl mark. UK motorists felt none of the benefits of the lower bulk prices with prices at ...
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Analysis
Alexander Russell: consultant, Car Wash Association (CWA)
The Car Wash Association’s (CWA’s) lobbying work to expose criminal activity and widespread regulatory non-compliance on hand car washes faces new challenges following the change of government in July. New appointments have been made in all the key ministries relating to the CWA’s work. Regulatory activity needs to be kick-started ...
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Analysis
Stephen Marcos Jones: director general, UKPIA
In June the UK became the first major economy to pass legislation requiring net-zero emissions by 2050. With a flick of his pen, interim-Energy and Clean Growth Minister, Chris Skidmore, upgraded the legally-binding target in the Climate Change Acat from an 80% reduction of emissions to 100%. With 38% of ...
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Analysis
Tracy West: retail commentator
Who doesn’t love chocolate? Obviously that’s a rhetorical question, as for me anyone who doesn’t seems a little bit weird. In the past my favourite has always been Cadbury Dairy Milk (CDM) but since the Americans got their hands on it, I think it’s changed. Now the Americans do many ...